Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s Long-Time COO, Becomes First Woman On Its Board Of Directors

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Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s four-year chief operating officer, has a new position — and one many people thought she should have gotten long ago. She’s now the first woman on the company’s board of directors.

She’ll have her own vote in all company matters, Facebook confirms with us. Board members of the public company are elected by the existing board or by shareholders (in this case she was elected by the other members).

Sandberg has visibly earned the position during her tenure, building and running the social network’s business operations, which include “sales, marketing, business development, human resources, public policy and communications” as Facebook has grown to be worth billions. She’s also become a top advocate for female leadership in the workplace, writing and speaking on the topic for years — particularly on how she has managed such a high-profile job while having a family.

Given her number two position at the company, her success over the years, and the lack of diversity on the board, many outsiders have already thought this new position would be a good fit for her.

“Sheryl has been my partner in running Facebook and has been central to our growth and success over the years,” said Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook, in a statement. “Her understanding of our mission and long-term opportunity, and her experience both at Facebook and on public company boards makes her a natural fit for our board.”

The existing board members:

Mark Zuckerberg, founder and chief executive

Marc L. Andreessen, Andreessen Horowitz

Erskine B. Bowles, president emeritus, University of North Carolina system